Arson suspected as fire damages NS maintenance equipment
(The following story by Christopher Magan appeared on the Dayton Daily News website on February 5, 2010.)
FAIRBORN, Ohio Police and firefighters are investigating what appears to be an intentionally set blaze that damaged one and destroyed another railroad track repair vehicle.
It took firefighters less than 20 minutes about 5:40 a.m. Feb. 3, to get the fires under control along the railroad tracks near 506 E. Xenia Ave., according to reports.
One of the vehicles was damaged so bad it may need to be replaced at a cost of $750,000 according to fire department records.
Rudy Husband, spokesman for Norfolk Southern, which owns the equipment, said an accurate damage estimate hadnt been made by the company.
The equipment is used for track repairs, Husband said. We move equipment throughout the system when work needs to be done in southwest Ohio, Husband said.